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Public Archaeology

ISSN: 1465-5187 (Print) 1753-5530 (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/ypua20

The Benefits of Public Archaeology Days

Barbara A. Clark

To cite this article: Barbara A. Clark (2015) The Benefits of Public Archaeology Days, PublicArchaeology, 14:3, 214-220, DOI: 10.1080/14655187.2015.1191917

To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14655187.2015.1191917

Published online: 08 Aug 2016.

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PROFILE

The Benefits of Public Archaeology DaysBarbara A. ClarkFlorida Public Archaeology Network, USA

The Florida Public Archaeology Network (FPAN) is tasked with educating Florida’spublic about the state’s rich archaeological heritage. Our mission is to promote thevalue of Florida’s archaeological heritage and the importance of its preservationthrough public engagement, at the state and local level. The network was establishedduring the 2004 Florida legislative season, and since this time we have tried, throughtrial and error and with varying degrees of success, to engage the public in manydifferent ways (see Lees, et al., 2015). One method that has been a staple, in oneform or another, has been Public Archaeology Days. These days primarily consistof identifying artefacts that the public has legally collected on private land,usually in their own backyards or farms. There has been much debate surroundingthis method of public outreach and much discussion on how to properly host theseevents so that they are an effective method of bridging the communication gapbetween members of the public and professional archaeologists. This piece describesour experience of running such events, and highlights the ways in which the publicresponded to particular initiatives.As an archaeologist, it can be easy to underestimate the excitement of the public

when it comes to subject areas such as archaeology and history. They seem to genu-inely look forward to the opportunity to talk to an archaeologist about their discov-eries. Some see it as a chance to highlight their knowledge and expertise or the researchthat they have done. However, archaeologists walk a thin line between keeping thatperson interested and excited, and educating them about the importance of contextand the difference between what is legal and what is ethical. We have to explain, ina positive manner, that, although it is legal to remove artefacts from their context incertain situations, it still does damage to a site that could potentially be significantto our understanding of the past. Of course, you do not want to squash their enthu-siasm, but instead cultivate it so that they are a strong advocate for historic andarchaeological preservation. We must take advantage of these teachable momentsto further strengthen people’s interest in protecting archaeological and heritage sites.

Methods of engaging the public

One way in which we attempt to cultivate strong advocacy is by looking at theseevents as an opportunity to educate the public on a broader level. We do not wantto stop with telling them what their artefact is, or in many cases is not. We use this

public archaeology, Vol. 14 No. 3, August 2015, 214–220

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as an opportunity to inform them of various laws that may apply to certain situationsin a language that they can easily comprehend. We take time to discuss archaeologicalcontext and the Florida Master Site File (FDHR, 2011). We have recording forms onhand to give them and explain how to fill them out and let them know that we wouldbe happy to offer assistance. These forms have been created by the state for both pro-fessionals and non-professionals to use to record archaeological sites.We have an extensive FAQ section, as well as educational resources on our

website which we can point event attendees to. We also have brochures and publi-cations on places that they can visit and flyers for upcoming festivals, lectures, orevents which we pass out at public days. We also have developed a quick referencecard that explains what they should do if they encounter an artefact on the beach,involving a three-step process (see Figures 1 and 2). Many people have commentedon how they appreciate this reference guide, because it is easily understood, includescontact information, and it allows them to feel involved. In our experience, themajority of people want to do the right thing upon finding an artefact, however,they do not always know what that is and so end up doing something counterpro-ductive. It is our responsibility to educate the public with regard to what they shoulddo, otherwise we cannot fault them for not handling the situation properly.One thing we do encounter a lot with these events is people wanting us to put a

monetary value on the artefacts they bring to be identified. With the popularity oftelevision programmes dealing with antique salvage, such as Diggers and AmericanPickers, people seem to be enchanted by the potential dollar amount they can getfrom artefacts. This is the perfect opportunity for us, as professional archaeologists,to counteract this issue, by discussing the ethics involved with selling artefacts. Whenpeople ask me howmuch something is worth, I always tell them that the informationwe can potentially gather about our past is priceless. You cannot put a price on ourhistory. Using the word ‘our’ implies a shared ownership. And how can one person

figure 1 Front of beach artefact card. © Florida Public Archaeology Network

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ethically put monetary value on something that is shared by everyone? This responsedoes not satisfy everybody we come into contact with, but it does seem to get thepoint across to the majority of individuals. Hopefully, those who are more hesitantto accept this explanation are given a reason to at least think about the next timethey consider the value of an artefact.One of our FPAN branch offices had a situation where a reporter asked a visitor to

a Public Archaeology Day what he believed his items were worth. This became themain focus of a news article the day after the event. This is one of those examplesthat goes to show that you cannot control every aspect of the event. However,during the marketing you can send out a press release that makes the point clearthat no items will be given monetary value by the archaeologists on site. If possible,it is always a good idea to talk to reporters directly so you have the opportunity todiscuss ethics with them and encourage them to write an article that is in line withthe goals of your programme.Through trial and error we have been able to develop this form of outreach and

are constantly working to improve upon it. We have found that venue is an impor-tant factor in the outcome and success of the event, although some are more challen-ging to work with than others. Sometimes the venue will want to combine the PublicArchaeology Day with another event or programme. It is very important that thesecondary event not conflict with the objectives of the Public Archaeology Day.For example, it is not ideal to have the Public Archaeology Day as part of anantique sale event. This could create confusion for the public and send a mixedmessage regarding the sale of artefacts. One of our offices had an issue with thename that a venue was insistent on using for the event. They wanted to call it an‘Artifact Roadshow’, which implies that the artefacts people brought to be identified

figure 2 Back of beach artefact card. © Florida Public Archaeology Network

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would also be appraised, which was certainly not the case. The archaeologists madea point to the host museum that no monetary value would be applied to any objectbrought in, and if anybody was seen doing so they would pull out of the eventimmediately. It was also problematic because the event consisted of more thanjust archaeology as the name implied. They also had a palaeontologist and a mala-cologist on site to help identify other items that might not be archaeological innature. The FPAN archaeologists at this event found that having scientists fromother fields there was ultimately a benefit, but that the museum that hosted it didnot market it correctly.Another consideration in planning is to not ignore those venues that may not have

a large number of visitors. In the Florida Panhandle we frequently host events thatare not as well attended as they might be if they were hosted in more densely popu-lated regions of the state. I strongly believe that, when it comes to Public Archaeol-ogy Days, it is all about quality and not quantity. Many of the people who attendthese events in less populated rural areas own large tracts of land or hunt in theforests and have a great deal of knowledge about sites that may not be recorded.It is very valuable for us, as professionals, to take the time to meet with thesepeople and learn what they have to share. We have to put in just as much effortto plan an event that is attended by 50 people as we do for one attended by 250people. While some may see this as a potential waste of resources, it is not justabout the number of people we interact with at the event. There are larger outcomes,such as the potential to record sites that are not yet documented, or making a con-nection with a school teacher who visited the event and learns of our online edu-cational resources or an upcoming teacher workshop. In some ways, smallerevents are more beneficial because they allow you to interact with each person ona more detailed level.I have held Public Archaeology Days at knapp-ins and primitive arts festivals

where vendors were selling modern-made primitive tools. I took this as an opportu-nity to showcase the artists and encourage them to show the public how theyproduce their tools to add to the educational value of the programme. It is also awonderful opportunity to inform the public that, by purchasing modern-madeprimitive tools, they are supporting an artist and they still get to own an arrowheadwithout contributing to the problem of illegal looting and the sale of pricelessartefacts.Archaeology is inherently interesting to both adults and children alike. At most

events there will be children, so it is important to have activities that are appropriatefor them. Of course, hands-on activities lend themselves very well to this and providethem with an opportunity to learn even if they do not have artefacts to be identified(see Figure 3). The most obvious and easy choice in some cases may be a mock dig.However, I encourage those that host these events to consider activities that concen-trate on other aspects of archaeology rather than the digging and finding. Instead,try activities that deal with methodology, context, or other areas of archaeologicalscience that will give the participant a more in-depth understanding of the valueof archaeology beyond ‘finding cool things’. There are a plethora of resources avail-able and various organizations (including the Florida Public Archaeology Network)that provide lesson plans and activity ideas that are inexpensive or free, and veryeffective and engaging (e.g. FPAN-NRC, n.d.; Weitzel McCabe, n.d.).

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One thing that we have found to be very important is to have archaeologists with avariety of specialties at the event, as you never know what people might bring in to beidentified. You cannot assume that everything you see will have been found locally.Frequently, we have had items brought in from South or Central America or evenEgypt. It is also a good idea to have reference books available, and perhaps evenprint out a bibliography so that when a member of the public tries to take yourcoveted copy of a book that is no longer in print, you can instead hand them a bibli-ography. Frequently, you will see items that are in no way archaeological in nature.Many times we will see things that are naturally occurring and not altered, but theowner believes it to be an artefact or sometimes something else that it is not. In oneinstance, an FPAN archaeologist was charged with the task of trying to convince awoman that a dolphin skull she found on the beach was indeed not a pterodactylskull. This was a great opportunity to educate the woman about the differencebetween palaeontology and archaeology, among other things. While sometimes weare presented with situations that seem comical, it is important to remain professionaland assist this person to the best of your ability, keeping in mind that you not only rep-resent yourself and the organization that you work for, but are an ambassador for theprofession as a whole. You may be the only archaeologist that this person ever comesin contact with and you want it to be a positive and enlightening experience.Blogs and other social media applications are also a great way to showcase

people’s artefacts and create a situation where you can broaden your audienceand influence long after the initial event. Several of our regional offices have ablog post once a week called ‘What is it Wednesday?’ (e.g. FPAN-NRC, 2015).

figure 3 Stamped ceramics activity at a Public Archaeology Day. Photocredit: ThadraStanton

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With permission from the artefact owner, photographs of the items from PublicArchaeology Days can be posted to the blog to generate conversation after theevent. This offers a way to connect with people who were unable to attend theevent by creating an interactive forum on social media.

How such events benefit archaeological knowledge

It is also imperative to be familiar with not only the venue, but also the surroundingarea. Often, attendees will want to discuss local archaeological sites. It is always agood idea to research the area beforehand and, when possible, visit some of thelocal archaeological or historical sites. This will equip you with the knowledge tobe able to have more comprehensive discussions with the public, and it will alsoprovide points of reference when discussing where they have found the artefactsthey bring in to be identified. I have found that it is also helpful to have a map oratlas of the area on hand so that they can point to where they are finding theseobjects.If the person is amenable, it is also helpful to have them mark the area where they

have found their artefact on the map. When possible, take down their contact infor-mation and take photographs of the objects, with a scale. It is important to follow upwith, in our case, the FloridaMaster Site File to see if a site has already been recordedin that location. If not, you can then contact the person and assist them with fillingout a new form. If it has been previously recorded, you can assist themwith updatingthe information in the site file. This is something that we, as archaeologists, can doon our own, but I feel that getting the public involved gives them a sense of steward-ship over the site and potentially increases the chance that the person will take this asa learning opportunity and continue to be a good steward of archaeologicalresources in their area. We have had instances where Public Archaeology Dayshave had definitive positive results. In one such case, a gentleman brought in apreform and other artefacts which resulted in an archaic site being recorded in anarea that was lacking information from that time period. So we do know thatthese events can work when properly executed.In conclusion, Public Archaeology Days are one way to open up informal dialogue

between professional archaeologists and the public in a non-confrontational, edu-cational, and entertaining environment. These events, when planned correctly,have the potential to create stewards and also can lead to additional sites being docu-mented properly. They also are an opportunity to educate the public about archae-ological ethics and laws and the importance of preserving our past in a way that isengaging and fun.

BibliographyFlorida Division of Historical Resources (FDHR). 2011. Florida Master Site File: Information for Users.

[accessed 01 August 2015]. Available at: <http://dos.dos.state.fl.us/media/31349/informationforusers.pdf>.

Florida Public Archaeology Network –Northeast Regional Center (FPAN-NRC). 2015. Blog: Going Public: The

Dirt on Public Archaeology. [accessed 01 August 2015]. Available at: <http://fpangoingpublic.blogspot.co.uk/

search/label/What%20Is%20It%20Wednesday?max-results=15>.

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Florida Public Archaeology Network – Northeast Regional Center (FPAN-NRC). n.d. Coquina Queries.

[accessed 01 August 2015]. Available at: <http://coquinaqueries.org/>.

Lees, W., Ireton, D. &Miller, S. 2015. Lessons learned along the way: The Florida Public Archaeology Network

after 10 years. Public Archaeology, 14(2): 92–114.

Weitzel MacCabe, K. n.d. Timucan Technology. [accessed 01 August 2015]. Available at: <http://www.flpubli

carchaeology.org/resources/timucuan/>.

Notes on contributor

Barbara A. Clark is the regional director for the North Central and NorthwestRegional Centers of the Florida Public Archaeology Network. She has worked forthe Florida Public Archaeology Network for over 5 years. Prior to that sheworked in Cultural ResourceManagement. She has a B.S. from Florida State Univer-sity and an MA from the University of Leicester.Correspondence to: Barbara A. Clark, Florida Public Archaeology Network,

USA. Email: barbaraAclark@uwf.edu

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